Pantomimes

Part of speech: verb, noun

Definitions

1. A form of theatrical performance where actors convey stories through gestures and movements without spoken dialogue
2. a type of silent artistic expression often characterized by exaggerated physical actions
3. a performance style that relies on visual storytelling and audience interaction without using words

Etymology: "Pantomimes" is simply the plural of "pantomime," so the story belongs to the noun. The Greek original, "pantomimos," was a compound of "pas," meaning "all" or "each," and "mimeisthai," meaning "to mimic." A Greek pantomimos was thus an all-round mimic, an actor who could represent any character or event through gesture and dance alone, with no spoken lines. The Romans borrowed the idea and the word as "pantomimus," and Roman pantomime actors were celebrated performers in their own right. English took the word from Latin around 1606, when it was used for that classical form of wordless acting. The verb followed much later, appearing around 1768. Over the centuries the meaning narrowed in English, and the term now often suggests a mime's silent gestures, or, in Britain, a lively seasonal stage show with comic routines and audience participation.

Synonyms: mime, gesture, sign